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An Introduction To Nootropics

23 September, 2014

What are Nootropics?

Nootropics is a vague term created in 1979 by Romanian chemist and psychologist Corneliu E. Giurgea to describe the potential for drugs to enhance mental function. The vitamins, amino acids, and antioxidants that make up nootropics, he said, would be formulated to boost memory and information retention while not containing a sedative or stimulant effects.

This is unique from other more common psych drugs which often contain sedatives and toxifying elements whereas nootropics are often found in nature. This is also unlike the caffeinated coffee and boosting energy drinks that people usually turn to during their busy days. Unlike these highly popular go-to fixes, Nootropics deliver increased memory, concentration, and mental energy without the hard crashes and restless jitters.

You have certainly consumed nootropics in your life without even knowing it. L-Theanine is a common ingredient in green tea, for example (and, notable to mention, contained in Focus+) while Phenethylamine is found in chocolate. Since many nootropics are vitamins, amino acids, and proteins, they are very often found in different foods, particularly in high-protein foods. Nootropics can be, or can be a combination of, parts of natural food stuffs and purified components of medical plants.

How do they work?

Different nootropics contribute in different ways; however, the most common ways nootropics are said to work are increasing neurotransmitter activity and boosting the flow of blood to the brain.

Neurotransmitters are chemicals contained and released in the brain to allow messages to be passed between nerve cells that often do not directly touch each other. By increasing neurotransmitter activity, there can be beneficial effects on attention span, mood, memory, and concentration. Increasing some neurotransmitters even enhances REM dreaming.

Blood flow is especially important to brain function. Of all the blood pumped in one heartbeat, about 20 percent is sent to the brain. This is because neurons are more sensitive to oxygen deprivation than other cells. They function at their best when oxygen is plentiful in the blood. In fact, it takes only a second for a brain without blood flow to show brain damage.

Who can Nootropics benefit?

Everyone from students to working professionals to busy moms can benefit from the cognitive boost nootropics gives. With a world moving like lightning, it is essential for our brains to be functioning at their full potential. Nootropics provide a way for one to work to that full potential and to efficiently deal with the demands of their workload. For the days when the work comes in piles and the calendar has no space left to write a single more due date, nootropics will help you prove to yourself that your mind is powerful enough to handle it! Try some nootropics today, or pick up a bottle of Focus+!